Plural lamp-socket



. F W. MINOR AND H: H. WOOD.

PLURAL LAMP SOCKET APPLlcATlona man FEB. s. 1919.

Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

sTATEsP T-ENT OFFICE.

FRANK w. MINOR AND ROBERT .HCMER woon, or nIcHMoNn,

VIRGINIA, ASSIGN'ORS or ONE-THIRD TO QSBOURNE WATTSOLT; 0F RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

- "PLURAL LAMP-SOCKET.

It all whom it may concern Beit known that we, FRANK MINOR andlRoBERr HOMER WVOOD, citizens of. the United States, residingat Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented a new and'useful Improvement in Plural Lamp-Sockets, of .which the following is a specification.-

' This invention relates .to socketsfor-hold ing a'pluralityof electric lamps, and has for its object to improve and simplify the con- ,struction of such sockets, reduce the cost of manufacture thereof, and produce them in more convenient vform for carrying and use.

Another ob ect 1s to eliminate the danger of breakage should the socket be dropped on a stoneor tile floor. A further object is to improve and simplify the electric connections from the main plug to the branch sockets, said connections being from the outside of the plug to the center of each of the branch, sockets and fromthe center of theplug to the outside of each socket.

It is also the aim of this inventionto produce a two-lamp socket-which is much more compact than those heretofore designed, and which not only. economizes'space in carrying, as in the pocket of a Workman, butvalso reduces or shortens the'space. occupied-by the lamps when attached to the socket, which is an important consideration especially intable lamps. j I

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds. e

The invention will-first be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which constitute part of this Fi 1. g I

Fig. 4 is a detailed view ofthe blank from which one of the connectors from the center Specification of Letters iatent. Application filed February 8,1919. Serial No. 275,79 8'.

- ring.

' Fig. 7 is a detailed Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

bolt of the main plug to the outside of each, branch socket is made; the blank as shown for use as a connector. v Fig. 5. is a sectional view, on the line 55 of Fig. 6, of the connector ring and arms for coupling the outside of the main plug electrically to the centers of'the branch sockets, the lower end portion of the outside contact shell of the. plug being shown in dotted lines as it fits over said connector Fig. 6 is a side elevation of said connector ringand arms. r I section of the base of one of the branch sockets, showing more clearly how@ the end of each connector arm from the connector ring is fastened to the contact button in the center of each branch socket, and the manner of securing said'contact button to the casing, and

'being fiat prior to being properly shaped Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modified form of socket for carrying three lamps.

The casing or block 1 of the socket is preferably made of fiber or other suitable insulating material, andis generally elliptical in vertical longitudinal section, the ends being rounded at 2'to. conform to the walls of the branch sockets 3 and 4, while. the lateral faces 5 and 6 ofsaid casing are preferably parallel. One ofthe branch sockets opens on each of said lateral faces of the casing or insulation blockl. As illustrated in the drawings, the branch socket 3 opens on the late'ralfacefi, and the branch socket 4' opens on the lateral face 6 of the casing v or block 1. The main plug 7 is attached to the topof the casing 1 centrally thereof and v equidistant from the two branch sockets?) and Kl. It will be observed that the branch socketsare arranged close together, so that almosthalf-of each underlies the plug 7,- Fig. 1, and that said sockets overlap each other, thereby reducing the width of the casing block tov the minimum and shortening the length of the'fixture from lamp tip to lamptip when the lamps (not shown) are attached to the branch sockets, aswill be readily understood. p

The plug 7 is provided with anon-breakable button tip or washer 8, preferably made of fiber, as is also the body portion of the a said plug, so that there is no danger ofthe socket bein broken in caseit should fall on a' hard sur ace. The contact button 9 of the plug 7 is formed as the head of a bolt which extends. centrally through said plug and down between the branch sockets 3 and 4 in the block 1. This bolt 10 is electrically connected to the outer contact shell 11 of each of the branch sockets by a connector 12, Figs. 3 and i, which consists of a plate por-. tion 13 lying-in contact with the'shell 11, and a reduced extension finger 1 L passed through the partition between the sockets in,

of which, extends to each branch socket.

The ring-17 is preferably provided with a flange 19 around its lower edge to fit between the lower end ofthe shell and the top of the block 1. The arms 18 of said ring are bent, as'shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,

to extend to the centers of. the respective" sockets. Each arm has a perforation or hole 20 in its extremity for attachment to the 1 central contact button 16 of the corresponding socket.

The central contact buttons 16 for. thebranch sockets are formed as the heads of rivets having prongs forming split stems or shanks 21 to be passed through the fiber washers 22 in the bottoms of said sockets, also through the holes 20 in the arms W, and then spread or riveted in the portions of the block 1 at the ends'of the sockets. As best shown in Fig. 7 a recess 23 is preferably formed in'the block 1 centrally of the inner end of each socket to receive the split shank 21 of the corresponding rivet, and a wedge shaped piece 24 is arranged in the middle of said recess 23 to spread said split shank so that it will be properly riveted in the block 1, as shown in dotted lines. This construction avoids the use ofthe ordinary bolt and nut which usually extends through the block 1 to the outside thereof and which is easily accessible and apt to cause unauthorized dis.- connection. p

.In addition to its being an electrical c'onnector the bolt 10 also binds and securely holds the plug 7 to the casing or-block 1, as is obvious:

Opposed indentations, as at 28 on the plug.

' the upright flange of the ring. These indentations may be'made after the device is assembled, if desired, by simply tapping the plug shell with the proper tool.

As suggested in Fig. 8, the socket block'- 25 may be'made in diiferent shapes to accommodate various numbers of sockets 26, but the connections (not shown) from the plug 27 to said sockets may be the same as already described.- it beim nbyious that the contact of each socket.

3. In a plural lampsocket, the combination witha main plug having an outside contact shell and a central contact button, of a block having branch sockets provided with contacts, a ring extending around the ing respectively to one of the contacts of each socket, and electric connections between the central contact button of the plug and the other contact of each socket.

2. In a plural lamp socket, the combination with a main plug havingan' outside contact shell and a central contact button,

of' a block having branch sockets provided with contacts, a ring extending up inside and around and in contact with the shell 'of theplug and having arms extending respectively to one of the contacts of each socket,

and electric connections between the central contact button. of the plug and the other tion with amain plug having an outside .shell contact and a central contact button,

of a block having branch sockets provided with contacts, a ring extending around the' surface of and in contact with the shell of the plug andhaving integral arms extending respectively to one of the contacts of each socket, a bolt extending from the central contact button of the plug, and connectors arranged respectively between-the. other contact of each socket and said bolt.

at. In a lamp socket, the combination with a casing, 'of a connector, and a button contact having a shank formed with" prongs riveted through the connector with the prongs embedded in the interior of the casing.

5. In alamp socket, the combination with a casing,-of a connector having a hole there-' in, and a button contact having a shank 'surface of and in contact with the shell of v the plug and having integral arms extends formed with prongs passed through the hole. 1

in the connector and riveted to the interior of the casing, with the prongs of therivet' I embedded therein.

6. In a lamp socket, the combination with a casing, of a connector having a holetherein, and a button contact having a -shank formed with prongs passed throughthe hole inthe connector and spread into riveted"engagement with the interiorof the casing,

with the prongs of the rivet embedded therein. a 7. In aflamp'socket, the combinationv with a casing having a recess,-of a connectorbers. 19a

inga hole therein, a wedge in said recess in the hole in the connector and spread overthe wedge into riveted engagement with the interior of the casing, the prongs of the rivet being embedded in said casing."

8. In a plural lamp socket, the combination with a main plug, of a block depending from said plug and having a plurality of lateral faces, there being branch sockets overlapping each other on their longitudinal axes arranged in parallel planes in. said block, and opening on different ones of said lateral faces.

9. In a pluraldamp socket the combination with a main plug, of a block depending faces and parallel branch sockets overlapping each other on their, longitudinal axes and opening respectively on the oppositelateral faces of the block. I

10. In .pluralelamp socket, the combination with a mainplug, of a block depending from said plug and having lateral faces and parallel branch sockets opening respectively on the opposite faces-of said parallel lateral faces ofthe block, the longitudinal axes of said sockets being parallel.

FRANK W. Mime;

ROBERT HOMER WOOD.

from said plug and having parallel lateral 

